Parker Quartet Outreach at Alamo Heights High School on April 25, 2022

On Monday, April 25 at 10:20am, the Grammy Award-winning Parker Quartet arrived at Alamo Heights High School, entered the school orchestra’s large rehearsal room, set up their four stands, and tuned up. Assistant Strings Director Ignacio Gallego hushed his excited class of around 50 string students, graciously introduced the group, and handed things off to cellist Kee-Hyun Kim. With engaging energy, Kim gave context for the music they were about to play: Robert Schumann’s String Quartet no. 3 in A major, 2nd movement. He noted for the class the unusually optimistic and joyous nature of this quartet, as Schumann is often associated with the more enigmatic character of some of his later works, given his progressive mental descent. Giving the students some structural guidance in preparation for their listening, Kim also explained the movement’s theme and variations format.

Just as the previous afternoon in Temple Beth-el, their performance of the Schumann captured all the emotional abandon and vulnerability that any interpretation of Schumann’s music needs, but with a tasteful lyricism and constant dialogue that glued the movement together. As soon as the quartet finished, the room erupted with applause.